Rainbow Bridge

A screengrab shows the scene at Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, New York following a vehicle explosion on November 22, 2023.

(Photo: WKBW)

FBI Investigating Vehicle Explosion at US-Canada Border Crossing

The explosion took place on the U.S. side of the Rainbow Bridge.

This is a developing story... Please check back for possible updates...

The FBI said it is investigating a vehicle explosion that occurred Wednesday at a checkpoint on the Rainbow Bridge between the U.S. and Canada.

The explosion, which took place on the U.S. side of the bridge, led authorities to shut down all western New York bridge crossings into the U.S., NBC News reported.

In a statement, the FBI's Buffalo Field Office said it is "investigating a vehicle explosion at the Rainbow Bridge" and "coordinating with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in this investigation."

"As this situation is very fluid, that's all we can say at this time," the statement added.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was briefed on the incident and is "closely monitoring the situation."

Four unnamed law enforcement sources told NBC News that no explosive devices were found in the vehicle.

"The vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit the [border checkpoint structure], caught on fire, and exploded," the outlet noted.

Earlier, citing unnamed sources, Fox Newsreported that the explosion was an "attempted terrorist attack" and that two people who were in the car were killed and at least one other person was injured.

ABC News, also citing anonymous sources, reported that "investigators have found some sort of suitcase or briefcase on-scene" and "are treating it as a possible explosive device as a precaution and the bomb squad is handling the package."

This story has been updated to include new reporting from NBC News.

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